A contact apparatus for SMT solder points (surface mounting technology) is employed in the fabrication technology for printed circuit boards. SMT modules, which are also referred to as flat modules, require a high level of standardization which is made possible by high-quality fabrication and component application techniques. Any simplification, for example reducing the individual parts of the flat modules, is of great advantage.
In the past, SMT has gained more and more prominence over “through-hole technology” (THT) owing to simple fabrication, even though the strength of the SMT solder point is less by a factor of 5 to 10 than that of a THT solder point. On the other hand, SMT obviates holes in the circuit board and saves on at least one working step and elaborate soldering methods. A great disadvantage of SMT is that it is usually unsuitable for certain components, such as insertion connections or heavy components, for which a high mechanical load occurs on the solder points. For this reason the tried and tested, albeit more laborious, THT is nowadays often resorted to for heavy components and insertion connections as before.
Nevertheless, for certain problematic components it is possible to circumvent THT. SMT insertion connections, for example, which are intended to establish electrical contact of mating contacts (contacts outside the printed circuit board) with conductor tracks of the printed circuit board, require auxiliary designs in order to ensure stable anchorage on the printed circuit board. If such an auxiliary design is not available, then SMT insertion connections do not generally provide the required stability in order to absorb the mechanical load, or the flow of force cannot be dissipated to more stable components. In order to counter this problem, lug-like apparatuses which are aligned vertically to the printed circuit board as auxiliary designs, and are used to position the insertion connection, may simultaneously be used for absorbing the mechanical loads parallel to the printed circuit board. For this reason, an insertion connection is in general usually configured so that the movement of the insertion process is carried out parallel to the printed circuit board so as to relieve the load from the SMT solder points.
EP 0874421A1discloses a plug-in connector which can be connected mechanically and electrically to a printed circuit board via SMT solder points in one working step. Lugs, which are sunk into the printed circuit board and are used as mechanical protection, are provided on the plug-in connector in order to protect the SMT solder points. The insertion movement is carried out parallel to the printed circuit board and perpendicularly to the lugs—as described in the previous section.
US 2003/0224653 A1discloses an electrical connector, which comprises an insulating housing and can be installed on a printed circuit board. It has a series of terminals, which can be contacted by conductor tracks of the printed circuit board.